A popular game/sport has developed over the years, which uses paintball guns or “markers.” Players use the paintball guns to shoot projectiles known as paintballs. These paintballs are generally spherical capsules having a gelatin or starch based shell filled with paint or non-toxic dye. During play of the game, the players on each team advance towards each other. A player is eliminated from the game when the player is hit by a paintball fired from an opposing player's gun. When the paintball hits a player, a “splat” of paint is left on the player.
Some examples of paintball compressed gas guns, also called “markers” or “guns” (referred to herein as either compressed gas guns, markers or guns), are those offered under the brand names EMPIRE™, MINI™, AXE™, TM™, and BT™, and others shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,336,532; 8,176,908; 7,921,837; 6,035,843; 7,946,285; 4,936,282; and 5,497,758, the entire contents of all of which are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Players use the paintball guns to shoot projectiles known as paintballs (projectiles and paintballs are used interchangeably herein). These paintballs are spherical, frangible projectiles normally having gelatin or starch-based shells filled with paint (coloring or dye). The shells break when impacting a target, allowing the paint within to splatter on the target. The sport of paintball is often played like capture the flag. A player is eliminated from the game when the player is hit by a paintball fired from an opposing player's marker. When the paintball hits a target such as a player, a mark or “splat” of paint is left on the player.
Paintball loaders (otherwise known as hoppers or magazines, and also referred to herein as “loaders”) sit atop the markers and feed projectiles into the marker. These projectile loaders (the terms “feed mechanisms,” “hopper,” “magazine,” and “loader” are used interchangeably herein) store projectiles, and have an outlet or exit tube (out feed tube or neck). The outlet tube is connected to an inlet tube (or feed neck) of a paintball marker, which is in communication with the breech of the paintball marker. Thus, the loaders act to hold and feed paintball projectiles into the breech of a paintball marker, so that the projectiles can be fired from the marker.
Many loaders contain agitators or feed systems to feed, move, mix, propel, or otherwise move projectiles in the loader. This mixing is performed by feeder, impeller, projection, carrier, drive cone, agitator, paddle, arm, fin, or any other mechanism, such as those shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,110; 6,502,567; 5,947,100; 5,791,325; 5,954,042; 6,109,252; 6,889,680; and 6,792,933, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Because it is desirable to eliminate as many opposing players as possible, paintball markers are capable of semi-automatic rapid fire. The paintball loaders act to hold a quantity of projectiles, and ensure proper feeding of the projectiles to the marker for firing.
Paintball guns generally have two basic mechanisms working in conjunction for firing a paintball from the marker during a firing operation. One of these mechanisms is for loading a paintball in the breech of a paintball marker, and usually involves a bolt that reciprocates from a loading position, allowing a projectile into the breech, to a firing position. A valving system is employed to release compressed gas from a source of compressed gas to fire the projectile from the marker.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary compressed gas gun 130 known in the art is illustrated having a gun body 132 with a rearward end 134 towards its grip 136 and a forward end 138 towards its barrel 140 is shown. The gun body 132 includes a generally cylindrical interior passage or space 133 (a portion of which may be considered a breech area) for receiving at least some of the firing components (e.g., the hammer and valving components) of the gun 130. A hammer 144 (sometimes referred to in the art as a ram, striker, or bolt) is disposed within the gun body 132 adjacent the rearward end 134 of the gun body 132, the hammer 144 having a forward end 146 facing the valve 160. The forward end 146 of the hammer 144 is adapted to contact a valve pin 148.
A main hammer spring 150 is disposed within the gun body 132 and biases the hammer 144 toward the forward or firing position. The hammer 144 is retained in a cocked or ready position by a sear 152 that pivots to engage a portion of the hammer 144. Actuation of a trigger 154 (such as by pulling the trigger) disengages the sear 152 from the hammer 144, allowing the hammer 144 to spring forward under the bias of the main hammer spring 150.
A bolt 156 is disposed within the gun body 132. A firing tube 158 is partially disposed within the bolt 156, such that the bolt 156 coaxially surrounds the firing tube 158. Forward movement of the bolt 156 causes forward movement and loading of a projectile 142.
A valve 160 is disposed within the gun body 132 between the hammer 144 and the bolt 156. The valve 160 includes a valve pin 148 extending rearward toward the hammer 144, the valve pin 148 including a contact end 162. A connecting rod 164 connects the hammer 144 and the bolt 156 for synchronized movement of the hammer 144 and the bolt 156. A connecting rod 164 provides a mechanical linkage between the hammer 144 and the bolt 156. The valve 160 assembly includes a valve housing 166 and a valve body 168 disposed within the valve housing 166. The valve body 168 includes an inlet port 170 for receiving gas under pressure from a gas line 196. The valve body 168 includes an outlet port 176 for communicating gas under pressure from within the valve body 168 when the valve 160 is actuated or open. A valve poppet 184 is disposed within the valve body 168. A sealing member such as a cup seal 186 is provided to the valve poppet 184.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of an exemplary paintball loader 400 operatively attached to a representative paintball gun 410 illustrated in phantom. The paintball gun includes a main body 412, a compressed gas cylinder 414, a front handgrip 416 or foregrip, a barrel 418, and a rear handgrip 419. The paintball gun also includes an infeed tube 420 leading to a firing chamber in the interior of the main body and a trigger 422. The front handgrip projects downwardly from the barrel and provides an area for gripping by an operator of the paintball gun. The compressed gas cylinder is typically secured to a rear portion of the paintball gun. The compressed gas cylinder normally contains CO2, or NO2, although any compressible gas may be used.
The paintball loader 400 includes a container body 430, screen, readout, or display 424, and may include a circuit board that which includes a microprocessor 426 for controlling the operation of the paintball loader, a motor 428, and an outfeed tube 432 that connects to the infeed tube 420 of the paintball gun.
Some of paintball guns operate using a pressure balanced poppet valves, such as the MINI™, TM-7™, TM-15™, and AXE™ series of paintball guns, as well as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,601,780 and 6,925,997, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 3 shows a known paintball marker (gun) having a pressure balanced poppet valve system, as in the MINI™ paintball marker, and FIG. 4 shows an exploded of such a paintball marker.
The paintball gun 900 of FIGS. 3, 4 include a trigger assembly 901 and a firing assembly 903. The trigger assembly 901 is used to actuate the firing of projectiles (e.g., paintballs) under the force of compressed gas from a source of compressed gas.
The firing assembly 903 is installed within the body 905 and is used to discharge the projectiles. The firing assembly 903 includes a housing 906 having a cylindrical channel 907, a valving system including poppet 908, and a bolt 913.
The poppet 908 is disposed within the housing 906 with a slimmer front part 909 and a wider rear part 910. The poppet 908 divides by the housing 906 into front air chamber 911 and a rear air chamber 912 with different pressure areas. A small through hole 923 is provided in the poppet 908 between the front and the rear air chambers.
The bolt 913 is placed around a bolt guide 914 toward the forward end 915 of the housing 906. A bolt spring 916 is disposed around the front part 917 of the bolt 913, biasing the bolt 913 to a rearward, open or ready to fire position.
A solenoid 918 including a moveable plunger 919 are used to control the opening or closing of an air flow channel 920, thereby leading to a pressure difference between the front air chamber 911 and rear air chamber 912 adjacent the poppet 908. As a result, the poppet 908 is shifted rearward, and some of the air flow is fed into a minor air channel to shift the bolt 913 forward under the force of compressed gas, overcoming the bias of the spring 916. Thereafter, the paintball 142 is discharged by the force of compressed gas entering the major air channel through the bolt.
A coupling or feed neck 924 is provided at the top portion of the body of the paintball gun 900. This feed neck 924 may be provided as a clamp or locking collet of some type, in order to mechanically attach a paintball loader having an outfeed tube to the feed neck 924.
As can be appreciated, one problem with many known paintball loaders or hoppers is that the paintball hoppers sit on top of the paintball marker when mounted for play. This positioning provides a target to opposing paintball sport players. This positioning also provides an obstruction to a player's view. It would be advantageous to have a paintball hopper positioned so that it both avoids providing a target for opposing players, but is also out of a player's line of sight.
While some paintball loaders or hoppers have been mounted below the breech area of paintball markers, these “box”-type loaders are bulky, and are positioned in front of the trigger or grip portions of the paintball markers, below the breech area. These paintball loaders must feed upwards into the breech area, against gravity. Often, a paintball marker must be customized or reconfigured to fit such paintball loaders. Also, these paintball loaders sit toward the front of the paintball marker. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a paintball loader that is not mounted on top of a paintball marker, where no special reconfiguration is required to attach the paintball loader to the paintball marker.
In addition, paintball markers and paintball loaders or hoppers are separate items that must be mechanically joined by, for example, an adaptor, clamp or collet of some type. This adapter provides a stress point, and can come uncoupled during game play. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a paintball marker and paintball hopper contained in a single, unitary body.
In addition, paintball markers and paintball hoppers have separate, non-communicating electronics and/or control units. That is, the paintball marker has its own control circuitry or electronics operating independently, and the paintball loader has its own control circuitry or electronics operating independently. It would be advantageous to have a single set of electronics and/or control circuitry and/or control unit that controls, monitors, synchronizes, integrates and/or operates both the paintball marker and the paintball hopper.
In addition, paintball markers and paintball loaders may be difficult to “field strip,” that is, disassemble for cleaning, adjustment or any types of maintenance, particularly during paintball sport play, and without tools. It would be advantageous to have both a paintball marker and an integrated paintball loader that is easy to field strip, without the use of tools.
Finally, it would be advantageous to have a compressed gas gun, utilizing any type of firing assembly, and including an internal, built-in projectile loader.
The entire contents of following patents are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,336,532; 8,176,908; 7,921,837; 6,035,843; 7,946,285; 4,936,282; 5,497,758; 6,213,110; 6,502,567; 5,947,100; 5,791,325; 5,954,042; 6,109,252; 6,889,680; and 6,792,933.